Chapter 139: Awakening

"Worldly affairs are like flood tides, destiny like the north wind……People are withered leaves, scattered wildly by the wind……"

Mozhang Wang tilted his head, his face twisted as he watched the leader of the Drifting Troupe being shattered into pieces by one after another of precise, fierce beams of light descending from the heavens.

Beside his ear, suddenly rang the song he had once overheard, the tune the leader had softly sung when alone.

It is said that this is the origin of the Drifting Troupe's name; this song was also left by the leader's grandmother.

The leader is not young, nor is she a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.

She wears the veil only because of her tribe's custom; a man who lifts her veil will become her husband.

She is also not powerful, not some old demon hiding in the mundane world pretending to be a pig to eat tigers; she is merely a gentle, meek, cautious woman who inherited the troupe from her elders, struggling to survive with a group of pitiful people in this tumultuous world.

She is very gentle, very warm.

When she spent the troupe's last bit of money to buy medicine and save the severely wounded Mozhang Wang,

She did not know that, in Mozhang Wang's heart, she had already become the symbol of a mother.

Otherwise, Mozhang Wang would have left the troupe long ago.

He knows full well that he is an ill-omened person; if he stayed in the troupe, he would likely bring trouble. But for that warm smile, to be able to listen to that mournful little tune, he remained in the troupe.

Disregarding his former identity, like a scoundrel, he led a group of children around eating free meals.

Even though he was repeatedly beaten into a death-like state……he never grew tired of it.

Actually, to be honest, falling into a death-like state truly feels awful, not much different from real death. Although each time after such a state his awakened divine talent grows a bit stronger……but……that damned feeling is truly awful……

"Leader……don't……" Mozhang Wang knelt on the ground, allowing more than ten fully armed warriors to cheer as they lunged at him, grabbing him with all hands.

"We've got him, we've got him……the sole true bloodline of Triple Link City, the legendary descendant of the Rahu Demon King……the fallen prince of Triple Link City, Gemoluo!" A warrior with a full beard seized Mozhang Wang's neck, laughing loudly to the sky: "We can go home, we can go home……haha, we've caught him!"

Mozhang Wang's body swayed as he let this bunch grab his neck, his arms, even his legs—like a group of butchers lifting a cleaned big sheep, preparing to hoist him onto a grill.

In the sky, over a hundred court mages of Triple Link City drifted down slowly, looking down on Mozhang Wang, their gaunt faces also full of smiles.

After more than ten years of pursuit, a result is finally at hand.

It's been more than ten years since they left their homeland, all for that damned fellow Mozhang Wang.

Now they can finally go home; moreover, they have brought back Mozhang Wang, and they can finally activate Triple Link City's ultimate defense system, open the secret treasury belonging to the city's royal family, and let the declining Triple Link City regain its glory and strength.

The mission, finally perfectly completed.

As for those who died……they were nothing but wandering savages, a gang of lowly prostitutes, thieves, villains, and scoundrels; alive, they only make this damned world worse.

Their deaths will make the world's air much fresher.

Over three thousand warriors and over a hundred court mages laughed together, joyfully relieved. Finally capturing this fellow was thanks to the coordination of the Six Dao Palace.

Only in the Six Dao Palace, a place deemed 'safe' and 'orderly', would the cunning Gemoluo lower his guard and sleep like a well-behaved child, allowing them to complete a perfect encirclement and capture him alive.

The best part is that, because of these savages and lowly folk, Gemoluo actually gave up resistance and flight.

Those warriors and mages responsible for capturing Mozhang Wang will never forget that, in the past, many of their comrades discovered this weak-willed scoundrel prince, yet he wielded the secret treasure of Triple Link City's royal family; although he was repeatedly gravely injured, the soldiers tasked with capturing him also suffered heavy casualties.

This time he actually did not resist……

Clad in golden armor, a burly, full-bearded strongman led his subordinates in quick steps to Mozhang Wang's side, lowering his head to gaze upon the deathly-faced Mozhang Wang, then suddenly grinning: "Gemoluo Prince……finally meeting you, not easy."

Mozhang Wang softly sang the mournful little tune: "Worldly affairs are like flood tides, destiny like the north wind……People are withered leaves, scattered wildly by the wind……"

Over and over, tears kept streaming from his eye sockets.

The bearded big man stared in shock at Mozhang Wang, reached out and patted his cheek, muttering lowly: "Huh? Scared silly? But it doesn't matter; we only need your bloodline—just bring you back alive, as for the rest……no one will care."

Mozhang Wang narrowed his eyes, his heart aching, tears continually welling from his eye sockets.

Around him was utter darkness, only the familiar faces of the Drifting Troupe continually appearing before his eyes. Beneath his fair skin, rings of blue, purple, black, and green kept surfacing, his skin turning multicolored, looking exceedingly strange.

"Damned? Are you trying to awaken your divine ability?" The bearded big man stared in disbelief at Mozhang Wang, then laughed and shook his head: "No, no, Gemoluo Prince, you'd better just stay asleep; when you wake, we'll already be back in Triple Link City……"

"After all these years, don't you miss Triple Link City?" The bearded big man laughed loudly, drew his sidearm, reversed his grip, and slammed the hilt hard into Mozhang Wang's occiput.

A heavy blow from the hilt would have knocked a normal person unconscious long ago.

Mozhang Wang's occiput, his bones like melting gelatin, gave way softly under the hilt's force.

The bearded big man struck hard, yet hit nothing but air; where the hilt contacted, there was not the slightest solid feeling.

He stared in astonishment, then suddenly roared: "Come on, attend to Prince Gemoluo's medicine!"

A group of court mages had already descended to a height of a hundred meters above ground; several of the eldest mages plummeted from the sky, hurried to Mozhang Wang's side, produced a dark‑black jade bottle, and forcibly pried open his jaw.

"Meiren Su……" a triangular‑faced old mage cackled: "Rumor has it that the prince formerly in Triple Link City liked to make women drink this treasure before enjoying them……once you take Meiren Su, your whole body goes limp and powerless, leaving you at the prince's mercy—even a master of the Life Pool Realm cannot withstand its potency……"

"Your Highness, do you possess the Life Pool Realm?"

Dark‑red and faintly fragrant Meiren Su was poured into Mozhang Wang's mouth, flowing down his throat into his stomach.

In a place unseen by outsiders, within Mozhang Wang's belly, rings of blue, purple, black, and green patterns continually surfaced; this bottle of Meiren Su had not yet exerted any effect before being broken down and absorbed by circular runes, turning into strands of strange heat flowing inside his body.

The colored rings beneath Mozhang Wang's skin grew ever denser, until his whole body became multicolored, resembling a poison‑ringed octopus dragged from the water, exuding an uncanny sense of danger.

In Great Dragon City, Wu Tie let out a long whistle, swept his spear to cleave the last few daring Six Dao Palace disciples who rushed to block the road into two halves, then abruptly halted, turned, and pointed his pallid spear at the road behind him.

With a "Ao—" tiger's roar that shook the surrounding miles, the dozens of scattered Six Dao Palace disciples gathering behind turned ashen, said nothing, and turned to leave.

Li Meng was killed, several half‑step Life Pool Realm elders of the Reception Hall were killed, so many Chonglou Realm seniors were killed, so many powerful senior brothers were killed……those few stray Six Dao Palace disciples have been slain to the point of terror, no longer daring to block Wu Tie.

"Over, over, over……" Wu Tie said nothing while watching those Six Dao Palace disciples fleeing in all directions; from the black shadows nearby, Lao Bai came running, face pale with panic.

Behind Lao Bai, two black ratfolk and four blue‑skinned lizardfolk were in hot pursuit, clearly bearing no goodwill toward him.

Wu Tie coldly regarded the pursuers behind Lao Bai; an invisible force field suddenly expanded, with vast flames rolling within it, six zhang‑wide flame palms condensed and slapped the pursuers behind Lao Bai.

The two black ratfolk and four blue lizardfolk didn't even snort before being burned to ash; Lao Bai glanced back, then darted like a puff of smoke to Wu Tie's side.

"The Drifting Troupe is completely wiped out……that yellow‑haired brat Mozhang Wang has been captured……yeah, he actually is some prince? That caravan from afar, which turned out to be hunting him……and they've already worked out terms with the Six Dao Palace's high echelons."

Lao Bai's information is very timely; in this short span, Wu Tie's group had just burst out of Great Dragon City, yet he had already ascertained the situation pretty well.

"What a bunch of out‑sider pups……" Lao Bai muttered resentfully: "Those two black‑skinned fellows are scouts from Triple Link City; they show no courtesy, striking to kill on sight. If not for a few brothers from Great Dragon City covering him, Lao Bai would have fallen into their hands……"

Lao Bai's face looked a little odd as he murmured: "When did ratfolk acquire Chonglou Realm experts? If they already are Chonglou Realm ratfolk, why would they still be scouts?"

When Wu Tie struck down those who had been chasing Lao Bai, he sensed that their cultivation was at the first or second tier of the Chonglou Realm.

Can rat people reach the first or second level of the Chonglou Realm?

Wu Tie looked at Lao Bai, poked his forehead with a finger, then gazed toward the base of the Drifting Theater Troupe.

This is a big trouble.

Without a doubt, this is a big trouble.

To dispatch such a massive force, spend years, cross such a vast distance between great domains, just to hunt one person…… such a power……

"That Demon Chapter King is a decent person, I like him." Wu Tie said in a low voice: "To be able to for a group of children……"

"That kid's not bad…" Shi Fei muttered indistinctly, he whistled and recalled his mount, swiftly donned his full armor, sat on the gray rock lizard's back, and assumed a charging stance.

Yan Hanlu remained silent, she simply pulled out another bottle of rotten bone marrow and smeared thick layer after thick layer onto the curved blade.

"Get them!" Only Lu Ji, who was waist-high to Wu Tie, waved the short-barreled double-barreled hunting shotgun, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Get them……" Wu Tie muttered low: "Da Jian, I'll go with you, you all…… go set an ambush at the entrance to Wa Valley. Especially Lu Ji, have all the things you've made these days ready; whether we can escape might depend on you."

Shi Fei wanted to say something, but Wu Tie quickly cut him off: "They can talk as equals with the Six Paths Palace; their squad might include a Life Pool Realm cultivator."

Shi Fei's face turned slightly pale, he nodded firmly: "We'll go provide backup…… you all, be careful…… if we can't, we'll look for another chance to strike."

Tie Da Jian gripped the heavy sword with both hands, a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Even if they are Life Pool Realm cultivators, they cannot violate the Six Paths Palace's rules…… they, and those who collude with them, the Six Paths Palace defectors, all deserve to die……"

Tie Da Jian didn't know that this had already been approved by the Six Paths Palace Lord; he thought it was merely Li Meng's scheming.

Shi Fei and the others, following the route given by Tie Da Jian, hurried toward the mandatory path to Wa Valley.

Wu Tie then patted the little head of the shamaness, gripped his long spear, and strode toward the base of the Drifting Theater Troupe.

He lowly chanted the ancient war song "Who says we have no clothes? We stand together against the enemy," a fierce killing intent coiled within him, brewing, accumulating, growing ever stronger and more mighty.

With each step, his killing intent grew a bit stronger.

With each step, the White Tiger Cleave in his hand grew a bit more pallid.

With each step, the wind swirling around him grew a bit more bleak.

The Drifting Theater Troupe's base was just over two li from Great Dragon City; Wu Tie covered ten-plus meters per stride, and from the other side of Great Dragon City he reached the vicinity of the base in only the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

Tie Da Jian was like a great mountain, closely following behind Wu Tie; each of his steps left a half-foot-deep imprint in the ground, neither more nor less.

"Celebrate!" The gold-armored, luxuriant-bearded big man raised his great sword, glanced worriedly at the Demon Chapter King whose skin had turned multicolored and whose body lay limp on the ground, then issued the order for the whole army to hold a celebratory feast.

After so many years, finally there is an outcome; the soldiers' tense nerves should also relax a bit.

The Demon Chapter King curled up on the ground, limp as if every bone in his body had been broken.

He suddenly said in a low voice: "I always thought that as long as I avoided them, I could survive…… I never had the courage to do anything, because I feared death, because I dared not fight you to the death……"

"But I was wrong."

"In this damned world, sometimes if you don't contend, you'll die an even worse death…… and drag more people down with you."

"If we must decide who lives and who dies, why can't it be you who die?"

The Demon Chapter King suddenly opened his mouth, a "gu" sound, and spewed a mass of thick black-red smoke.

The thick smoke rolled and surged rapidly, spreading throughout the camp, enveloping over three thousand warriors and over a hundred mages alike.